Under authoritarian regimes, military officials with close ties to the ruling elites often wield unchecked influence and power. These individuals, especially those with access to the inner circle of the regime, frequently indulge in rampant corruption, amassing enormous wealth through illegal and unethical means. In Pakistan, for example – a country grappling with severe economic turmoil where ordinary citizens struggle daily to afford even a single meal – military generals, including Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah (alias Asim Munir) and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), General Muhammad Asim Malik, are widely known – even among political elites and junior officers – as billionaires. Allegations against the ISI include long-standing involvement in the narcotics trade, in collaboration with Afghan drug-lords and the American CIA – forming a powerful nexus that dominates a significant portion of the global drug trade.

Bangladesh, under Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged rule, has not been immune to this phenomenon. Among the most notorious figures to exploit this system is Major General (retired) T M Jobaer, former Director General of the National Security Intelligence (NSI). Once a trusted confidant of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sister, Sheikh Rehana, and her security advisor Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Jobaer stands accused of orchestrating one of the most egregious corruption rackets in Bangladesh’s history – amassing millions through illegal casinos, drug trafficking, smuggling, money laundering, and abuse of state power.

Bangladesh has witnessed similar trends over the past fifteen years. Several military officials, leveraging their close relationships with individuals in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s inner circle, have accumulated vast fortunes through corrupt and illicit activities. Among the most notorious of these officials is Major General (retired) T M Jobaer, former Director General of the National Security Intelligence (NSI), who is considered a trusted confidant of Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, and her security advisor, Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique.

Although the NSI is tasked with overseeing national security, its former chief T M Jobaer was deeply implicated in widespread corruption and abuse of power. During his tenure, he often used VVIP-level protocols – privileges that are clearly prohibited under the regulations of both the Bangladesh Army and the NSI.

Between 2013 and 2018, Jobaer, with direct backing from Sheikh Rehana and Maj Gen Tarique Ahmed Siddique, launched a network of illegal casinos in Bangladesh. To manage these operations, he imported skilled casino personnel from Nepal and the Philippines, who entered the country disguised as tourists but worked without valid permits. These........

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